After the safeguarding scandal: what lessons for Chairs?

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Registration from 5.30pm

The Oxfam and Save The Children revelations have had a huge impact on the charity sector and have raised many issues: about safeguarding, about trust, about charity ethics, about transparency and accountability, and about governance and oversight. The ramifications go far beyond the international aid sector.  And in this era of #metoo and #timesup the concept of safeguarding is being redefined by some to cover workplace dignity and all stakeholder relationships.  There are further lessons in preparing for and handling crises and dealing with the media.

We want to explore what it all means for Chairs and boards – there are several challenges for good governance:

• to create a culture where whistleblowing is possible, where people are confident to speak up about mistakes and enable the organisation to learn from them
• to ensure that the charity’s processes and procedures are being followed through, and that issues are being reported to the board
• to enable the board to tackle difficult issues thoroughly with a view to the long term and not just the short, and then be properly transparent and accountable about the outcome
• and for Chairs in particular, as leaders in a crisis, how to stay resilient and focused, and keep true to the charity’s values.

The panel to lead a discussion on these difficult interconnecting issues will be:

Amanda Ellingworth: Deputy Chair Barnardo’s and a Non-Executive Director at Great Ormond Street Hospital

Andrew Hind:  Professor of charity governance and finance at Cass Business School – from 2004-2010 the first CEO of the Charity Commission; in 2015-16 Andrew chaired the Fundraising Standards Board.

Emma Burrows: a partner at Trowers & Hamlins LLP where she specialises in employment law

John Williams, AoC Vice Chair, former Charity Commissioner, with a long career in corporate communications and reputation management

We are very grateful to Trowers & Hamlins for hosting this event.

The panel discussion will be followed by networking, with the event closing at 8pm.

This event is open to Chairs and Vice Chairs although priority for places is given to our members. Sign up to become a member here.

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